Lactose-Free Milk and Nondairy Beverages

But even if you are, you can probably still enjoy light coffee and creamy desserts without discomfort. Here's how.

Lactose-Free and Nondairy Options

Dairy products are high in calcium, protein, and other nutrients. You may still be able to get these nutrients from dairy if you're lactose intolerant.

“On average, most lactose-intolerant people can tolerate about 250 ml of lactose,” says David Goldstein, MD, a gastroenterologist in Emerson, N.J. That's about 1 cup (8 ounces) of dairy milk. Start by trying 1/2 cup of regular milk or less with a meal.

Take lactase tablets or capsules before eating or drinking foods that have dairy products or milk.

Drink and cook with lactose-free milk. It has added lactase to break down the lactose. It also has about the same nutrients as regular milk.

For nondairy milk, consider these options. They vary in nutrition, so before you buy, compare the labels next to cow's milk. Choose one that is fortified with calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients. Use unsweetened nondairy milk in savory dishes like mashed potatoes. You might like vanilla, chocolate, or other flavors for baking.

Soy milk is the best source of protein of the nondairy options. It's thicker than cow's milk and slightly beige in color.

Coconut milk is creamy like whole milk. It has little protein, though, and about the same saturated fat as whole milk -- about 4 grams in a cup.

Almond milk is also like cow’s milk in texture, though slightly beige in color. It tastes faintly like almonds. It may have more calcium than dairy milk, along with vitamins D and E. But an 8-ounce glass of almond milk has only about 1 gram of protein.

Rice milk is white, like cow's milk, and thinner and sweeter than almond milk. It doesn't work as well as thicker milks in sauces and puddings. It is low in protein, like almond milk. But you can find it fortified with calcium.

Hemp milk is thick and sometimes a little grainy. It is made of hemp seeds, which are high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. It also has protein but falls short in calcium.

If you have stomach symptoms while using any non-dairy options, the problem may be guar gum. It's often added for thickness, says Sonya Angelone, RDN, a dietician in San Francisco and a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “This can affect some people adversely, and they experience gas just like they might with lactose."

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